One Step Ahead
by account-isn't in-use
Summary: Penelope always was one step ahead of Percy. PercyPenelope, Oneshot.  I don't own this story.


**Firstly, I'll make this **_**very very**_** clear: I don't own this story. It isn't mine. I didn't write it. And although I didn't **_**steal**_** it from someone else, I do feel guilty for posting this online, as this is not rightfully mine.**

**Someone, titled 'The Marauder' sent me an anonymous email, with this story attached. I couldn't reply, as that person has already deleted his or her account. I received a Delivery Status Notification Failure email.**

**It's most probably someone I know, because she has my email. I think it's dedicated to two girls in my class, Beatrice and Clara, for they are constantly teased as being Penelope and Percy.**

**To The Marauder, if you are reading this:**

**I thank you for the story. I don't believe I am a Marauder more superior than you are, and I will never be. I don't need to know your true identity, but I really **_**do**_** want to keep in contact with you. You're a great writer. I can never possibly write something as good as this. I am extremely grateful to you for sending me this email. I, to put it dramatically, don't deserve this. I won't forget this easily, and I'll still try to find means of contacting you. Thank you, once more.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I own this story.**

**September 1st, 1991**

"Okay, Percy, you first," said Molly, holding Ginny's hand.

This would be his grand entrance. He was a prefect now and everyone would be looking at him, expecting him to begin his duties as soon as he arrived. Taking a deep breath, straightening his back and sticking out his chest, he hurried through the walls between Platforms Nine and Ten.

The heavy noise that characterized every September 1st reached his ears instantly. Pushing his glasses up his nose, Percy carried his trunk to the front of the train. His head was held high as he pushed his heavy luggage to one of the train compartments with a big P on the door -the compartments for Prefects-, trying not to show how much he was struggling.

_Don't show weakness. You're a Prefect. You need younger students to feel safe around you, and they won't if you can't even move a simple trunk_, he thought inwardly while inhaling deeply to recover his breath.

Finally able to stow his trunk in the first compartment, he proceeded to take out his school robes, which were neatly folded at the top. As he was the first to arrive, he closed the door and started to change his clothes.

Percy was just in his pants, sliding his trousers over one leg, when the door suddenly slid open. Turning hastily, he saw a wide-eyed brunette blushing furiously.

"Oh! Sorry!" she said, quickly closing the door.

Percy could still see her silhouette through the closed window as he finished getting dressed.

"I'm really sorry! I'll be out in a minute!" he said to the girl through the closed door.

"It's...it's fine," she said nervously. "Can- Can I ask you a question?"

Percy's hands froze in the process of sliding the button through he buttonhole. He was so embarrassed that he couldn't even imagine what she could ask him. "S-Sure.."

"I just found a Remembrall outside. Is it yours?"

He saw her shadow holding a small ball in its hand.

"No. Must be from another student. Most probably one from first year," he said as he finished dressing, relaxing a bit with the change of subject.

"Oh, well... I'll ask during the ride then."

Once he finished putting on his school robes, he smoothed the shinning Prefect badge on his chest one more time. His hands were shaking nervously as he opened the door again. The girl was still in the hall, biting furiously her nails and looking at the Remembrall.

"I'm really sorry! I should have knocked-" she started saying the minute she saw him.

"No, please. Let _me_ apologise. I thought I had locked the door," he finished confused.

She offered him a sympathetic smile in response. "You're Percival Weasley, aren't you?" she suddenly asked.

"Percy," he corrected instinctively. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"

"No, but you are the new Gryffindor Prefect I take it," she said, pointing at his badge. "I'm one of the Ravenclaw Prefects. I memorized the names of all the Prefects," she added, blushing again. "Sounds kind of perfectionist, doesn't it? My dad is the football coach of the Oxford University and he's always insisting on being _one step ahead_," the brunette finished, chuckling and rolling her eyes.

"I understand," Percy said with a smile, trying to hide the fact that he had no idea what football was. "So, you memorized all the names of the Prefects? That's very smart. I wish I had thought about it..."

"I can help you if you want," she offered kindly.

"Yes, that would be perfect! Oh, but I'm afraid I'll have to say goodbye to my mother first. She'll go looking for me all over if not."

"That's alright. I'm sure my mum won't mind a '_one last hug_' either way. Meet you here in few minutes?"

"Absolutely," he said starting to leave the train one more time. "Oh! I believe I don't know your name yet."

"Penelope. Penelope Clearwater," she said with a bright smile.

"See you in a moment, Penelope," he said softly returning her smile.

**August 9th, 1992**

The minute they were out of Gringotts, Percy glanced at the clock over the big door. Penelope would be waiting for him. He had told her he was going to be in Diagon Alley buying everything for Hogwarts with his family, and she agreed to meet him there.

"I need another quill. I'll be right back," he mumbled to his mother before he made his way through the crowd without looking back.

In front of Ollivander's, Penelope was waiting for him, pacing back forth. She seemed to be biting her nails, something she only did when she was nervous.

"Penny."

She turned around at the sound of his voice and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Percy! It's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Penny," he said with a smile.

"The letters are great but there's nothing like talking in person," she said with a chuckle.

"I agree."

An awkward silence took over then. Percy felt his hands starting to get sweaty. What should he do? He had never had a girlfriend before and now that he did, he didn't know what to do.

Their friendship had grown stronger during their second year and they had exchanged letters daily all summer long. Two weeks ago, he asked her to be his girlfriend. Percy still couldn't believe his luck when she agreed. However, seeing her for the first time as more than just his friend added a lot of pressure and none of them knew how to act.

Both stared at the floor as families walked around them. Lifting his gaze, he looked at her blushing face. She looked beautiful and Percy couldn't help but wonder what kissing her would feel like. He had never kissed anyone before.

"Penny, I..." he started saying, but the second her green eyes found his he couldn't think anymore.

Percy didn't know what possessed him to do something like that. Of all the times he had imagined kissing her, he had never been so...impulsive. However, at the time, he couldn't stop his body as it leaned forward. It would have been perfect if only he had a good aim, because as closed his eyes, the next thing he felt was his nose and forehead hitting hers.

"Ouch!" Penelope said cradling her nose between her hands.

Percy felt like dying. This wasn't supposed to be like this. First kisses are supposed to be slow and tender. He was sure his head was going to explode as his cheeks burned in embarrassment. With a quick apology, he turned away and ran to the first shop he could find, leaving Penelope behind.

**September 4th, 1993**

His hands slid around her waist as he nibbled the tender skin of her neck. Penelope moaned softly when Percy pressed her harder against the wall, bucking his hips against hers. He felt her fingers sliding through his curly hair and pulling softly at it with each little sigh and gasp she made. Keeping one hand on her narrow waist, he slid the other on under her shirt caressing her smooth stomach as it moved upwards to finally cup her left breast. Teasing her through the cotton fabric of her bra, Percy kissed and bit the skin right under her ear, marking her as his.

"You'll leave a mark," she said, holding back a moan.

"Exactly," he groaned, moving his hips against hers once again.

"Who...would have...thought you'd be...like this...a year...ago?" she gasped with difficulty as Percy's hand slid under her bra, now massaging her breast with surprising skill.

He chuckled, moving his lips back to hers and kissing her deeply. "I learn fast," he whispered quickly before sucking on her lower lip hungrily.

**August 29th, 1994**

"Percy, you cannot work all day long. It's not healthy! Come on, let's go eat something in the village. Your mum said it would-"

"I can't. I need to work. Mister Crouch was very upset after what happened during the Quidditch World Cup. I don't have time for leisure," Percy said angrily.

After the Death Eaters attack, Percy had been in charge of coping with the large number of Howlers from the disgruntled and frightened public. This was his opportunity to make Mister Crouch notice him and he knew he had to work twice as hard as he had worked during the summer.

However, that meant putting his personal life on hold - something that, of course, upset Penelope.

"You know, I agree. You don't have time for '_leisure_' anymore. Seeing as I'm just _that_, I'll make sure I won't distract you anymore. Goodbye," she spat, storming out of the room.

**September 1st, 2018**

"Come on, Lucy. We are running late," Percy said, pushing his youngest daughter's trunk.

The eleven-year-old followed him at her own pace. Percy knew Lucy did things at her own speed, that she didn't like to be rushed, but the ticking of the huge clock made him more nervous second by second as it grew louder to his ears.

He spotted Molly rushing to greet a group of girls a few meters from them as he levitated Lucy's trunk to the nearest compartment.

"Now, Lucy, do you have everything?" Percy asked worriedly. He had checked on her luggage the night before and found that she hadn't packed her school uniform, so nothing was for certain when it came to his distracted daughter. He swore if she weren't so alike him in looks he would have serious doubts about him being her father.

"Yes."

He kneeled in front of her. "Are you sure? Have you packed the Remembrall I bought you?"

"Umm..."

"Remembrall? I believe this is yours then," a woman said behind him.

When he turned around, he saw a brunette smiling widely with Lucy's Remembrall in her hand.

"Penny?" he gasped.

"Hi, Percy. It's been a while, huh?" Penelope said, hugging him.

He was in shock. It's been years since he had last seen her. A few years after their break up, they had kept in contact, owling each other and seeing each other every once in a while. However, balancing life when each of them had a family to take care of, made their encounters more wide apart.

"A while indeed!" he said with a big smile.

"Is this your Remembrall, sweetie?" Penelope asked Lucy, who nodded eagerly and saved her father's gift back in her pocket.

"Thanks, Penny. I swear Lucy would lose her head if it weren't attached to her body," Percy said with a small smile, patting his daughter's shoulder.

"So I'm not witnessing a 'like father, like daughter' case then?" she joked with a wink.

He laughed. "No, she's definitely like her mother in that aspect."

"Oh, how's Audrey?"

"Great. Her book was released in the United States so she's doing the promoting tour-"

The whistle of the train interrupted Percy and he excused himself as he hurried Lucy to her compartment. Quickly saying goodbye to his daughters, he saw Penelope giving one last kiss to her son who was starting his first year too.

All too soon, he found himself looking longingly at the Hogwarts Express as it started disappearing from sight in the distance.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Penelope commented by his side.

"Yes, it does. I remember this perverted girl asking if I had lost a Remembrall while I was half-nude," he commented idly, having a hard time keeping his serious expression.

"Oh, yes. I remember this nervous looking boy. An exhibitionist... I heard he worked in a famous strip club on Saturdays," she continued joking.

"He must be good. I mean, I'm sure he's very good looking."

"I've seen better," she said with a grin, making him laugh. "Do you have time for a coffee?"

He glanced at the clock. "I have a couple of hours, Madam."

"Great. You pay."

He chuckled. "Always one step ahead, aren't you?"

"Always."


End file.
